Ahmedabad School Incident: Student Puts Naphthalene Balls in Classmate's Water Bottle, Education Department Orders Probe
In a shocking incident at a private school in Ahmedabad's Maninagar area, a Class VI student allegedly placed naphthalene balls in a classmate's water bottle, prompting swift action from the state education department. The department has ordered a thorough investigation into the matter, which occurred on January 28, 2026, during a break between classes.
Details of the Alleged Incident and Immediate Response
The other student attempted to drink from the water bottle but detected an unusual odour, preventing potential harm. School authorities acted promptly by taking the affected student to a hospital as a precautionary measure. Fortunately, the student was reported to be fine and returned to school the following day.
Purported CCTV footage of the incident surfaced online on Tuesday, February 4, 2026, drawing public attention. State Education Minister Pradyuman Vaja addressed the media in Gandhinagar, stating, "School authorities took the student to a hospital as a precautionary measure. Since he was fine, he came to school the next day. While the DEO has sought an explanation from the school, we have also initiated an inquiry and sought a report."
School's Internal Investigation and Parental Involvement
The school principal issued a statement revealing that both students and their parents were called to the school for discussions. The accused student admitted to putting the chemical balls into the water bottle. According to the principal, "The father of the student who put the ball said that he is involved in the kite business, so it is possible that the child brought some chemical balls from home. The student has been sent on leave."
Authorities indicated that the incident might have stemmed from an earlier argument between the two students. In response, the school has implemented bag checks as a preventive measure.
Education Department's Strict Actions and Fines
Ahmedabad (city) District Education Officer Rohit Chaudhary took decisive action by issuing two showcause notices to the school management. The notices reprimanded the school for administrative lapses and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000. One notice highlighted the seriousness of the situation, stating, "From time to time, circulars and instructions have been issued by the head office and the DEO office regarding the health of the students. However, today, we have not received any information from the school regarding the incident that took place on Wednesday, 28/01/2026 but came to know through social media, which is a very serious matter. It seems that you have tried to hide this fact. Therefore, you are requested to send a detailed explanation of the incident that took place in your school as well as the CCTV footage of the day of the incident to this office today itself."
The second notice imposed the fine, citing, "The incident in your school on January 28 shows lapses on your part as you did not inform the office. For violation of Section 19 of the RTE Act 2009 your school is penalised with Rs 10,000. This has to be paid within two days."
New Guidelines Issued to Prevent Future Incidents
In addition to the probe and fines, strict guidelines have been issued to all schools in Ahmedabad. These directives mandate periodic and regular checks of students' school bags to prevent such potentially fatal incidents in the future. This move aims to enhance student safety and ensure compliance with health protocols.
The incident underscores the importance of vigilance in educational institutions and the need for robust mechanisms to address safety concerns promptly.
